Monday, April 29, 2013

It's pretty incredible to live less than 1 mile from an university [Emory] that has a close relationship to His Holiness the XVI Dalai Lama.

The last time he visited Emory was in 2010. It was an amazing lecture that I will remember for the rest of my life (having Richard Gere and author Alice Walker speak in the lecture was also incredible)!

Last March, while we were in Costa Rica, I read HH Dalai Lama's book Beyond Religion that focused on his suggested approach to ethics based on universal rather than religious principles. The concept of embracing the notion of common humanity was so simple, yet so profound.

When we got the recent email that the Dalai Lama will be back again this October to give a public talk, we knew we couldn't miss it. His visit "will focus on the fundamental human values that are the building blocks of an engaged and compassionate world. The Dalai Lama will outline his comprehensive vision of secular ethics, its underlying principles, and the urgent need to embrace such a system in today’s increasingly connected and globalized society."

The tickets cover the public talk and a panel discussion.

"A panel discussion featuring His Holiness with top scientists and educators. The panel will examine the applicability of secular ethics in modern education through the lens of evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and educational policy and curricula. Discussion will include the implications of secular ethics for the U.S. education system, strategies of implementation, and potential benefits."

I'm so excited that his topics focus around the main topic of his book "Beyond Religion." Hopefully his book and his talk will encourage people to remember that we are all human beings who strive for happiness and try to avoid pain.